President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Academician Anatoly Zagorodny: “Science is a Domain of Creativity, Freedom, and Democracy”

Abstract

President of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine Anatoly Zagorodny shared his thoughts about what constitutes the core value of science and what science means to him. He spoke about scientists who had been his tutors in the scientific life, first and foremost about Academician Mykola Bogoliubov, about personal traits vital for a scientist, and to what one needs to be prepared when making research his/her professional choice. Anatoly Zagorodny spoke about theoretical aspects of physics of plasma that was a main field of his research activities, and revealed its practical significance. When asked if he can find the time for research work being on the high office of the President of the NAS of Ukraine, Anatoly Zagorodny said that he kept working on fundamental issues of statistical physics and kinetic theory of multi-particle systems and non-linear dynamics of particles. As regards the future of science, Anatoly Zagorodny is convinced that science will see the increasing trends to multidisciplinarity, internationalization, dissemination of artificial intelligence technologies. According to Anatoly Zagorodny, science of the 21st and next centuries will be close to society and maximally open. The openness of science is the best way to dispel pseudo-scientific myths and counteract propagandist and ideological slogans, whereas high-quality education for all needs to be prioritized by the state and the civil society.